The US solar industry installed 11.7 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, marking the third-largest quarter on record and pushing total installations this year past 30 GW. Despite federal policies targeting clean energy, solar and storage accounted for 85% of all new power added to the grid during the first nine months of the Trump Administration.

According to the U.S. Solar Market Insight Q4 2025 report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, 73% of all solar capacity installed this year came from states won by President Trump. Eight of the top 10 states for new installations are in this group: Texas, Indiana, Florida, Arizona, Ohio, Utah, Kentucky, and Arkansas. Notably, Utah entered the top 10 this quarter with two utility-scale projects totaling more than 1 GW.

Federal actions, including the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) July memo, aimed at slowing utility-scale solar and storage projects, have created significant uncertainty for the industry. Without clear guidance on permitting timelines or project approvals, forecasts for utility-scale solar deployment through 2030 remain largely unchanged.

“This record-setting quarter shows that the market continues to turn to solar to meet rising demand,” said SEIA President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper. “The growth in Texas, Indiana, Utah, and other states demonstrates the market’s strong momentum. But unless the administration addresses permitting challenges, the future of clean, affordable, and reliable solar and storage is at risk, and Americans may face higher energy bills. U.S. manufacturing, global competitiveness, and billions of dollars in private investment are on the line.”

The industry’s manufacturing footprint is also expanding. With the opening of two new solar module plants in Louisiana and South Carolina, totaling 4.7 GW, the U.S. has added 17.7 GW of new module manufacturing capacity in 2025. A new wafer facility in Michigan now allows the U.S. to produce every major component of the solar module supply chain.

“We expect 250 GW of solar to be installed between 2025 and 2030, but the industry could achieve even more,” said Michelle Davis, head of solar research at Wood Mackenzie and lead author of the report. “Rising electricity demand across the nation means the solar industry could meet even more of this demand if current constraints are addressed, presenting upside potential for our forecasts.”

SEIA also highlighted that more than 73 GW of solar projects are awaiting permits and remain vulnerable to politically motivated delays or cancellations.